1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for improving the aftertaste of sucrose and uses thereof, and more particularly to a method for improving the aftertaste of sucrose characterized in that it comprises incorporating trehalose into sucrose in an amount of 2-12 w/w % to the sucrose, on a dry solid basis (d.s.b.), and saccharide compositions and food products, wherein the aftertaste of sucrose is improved by using the method without lowering the sweetening power of sucrose.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Sucrose, a natural sweetener used for a long time, has become to be noticed of its thick taste, which is a main drawback, which causes an unpleasant long-lasting aftertaste, in modern diet styles flooded with food materials and fast foods.
To improve the drawback, for example, Japanese Patent Kokoku No. 44,476/86 proposed a method for improving the aftertaste of sucrose by treating sucrose solutions with ultrasound; the method is scarcely used because of its relatively-low effect for its complexity. The use of a combination of sucrose with other saccharides such as maltose, trehalose, and maltotetraose is known in the food industries as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Kokai No. 319,486/94 and Japanese Patent Kokoku Nos. 77,381/93 and 89,916/95. These other saccharides are low-sweetened sweeteners with a reduced sweetening power of sucrose. On the pretext of fitting to modern feelings, these conventional methods aim to lower the content of sucrose in food products in order to reduce the sweetening power as much as possible and increase the content of total saccharides as high as possible within the margin of the reduced sweetening power, resulting in a relatively-long shelf-life of the food products. Usually, the other saccharides are added to sucrose in an amount of about 40-300 w/w % to the sucrose, d.s.b. In some cases, such use of sucrose hinders the effective high-sweetening power of sucrose, and in many cases, it deteriorates the flavor and taste of sucrose. It has been strongly demanded to improve the aftertaste of sucrose as a drawback while retaining the sweetening powder, flavor, and taste.
The object of the present invention is to provide a method for improving the aftertaste of sucrose due to its thick taste without substantially lowering the sweetening power of sucrose, and uses thereof.
To attain the above objects, the present inventors energetically studied for the combination use of sucrose and other saccharides. As a result, they unexpectedly found that the present object is attained by incorporating trehalose, xcex1,xcex1-trehalose, into sucrose in a specific proportion, and accomplished this invention; the inventors found that incorporation of trehalose into sucrose in an amount of 2-12 w/w % (hereinafter the wording xe2x80x9cw/w %xe2x80x9d is abbreviated as xe2x80x9c%xe2x80x9d throughout the specification, unless specified otherwise) to the sucrose, d.s.b., eliminates the thick taste and aftertaste of sucrose without substantially lowering the sweetening power of sucrose, and they accomplished this invention which is mainly constructed by:
(1) A method for improving the aftertaste of sucrose, characterized by incorporating trehalose into sucrose in an amount of 2-12% to the sucrose, d.s.b.;
(2) A saccharide composition which contains trehalose in an amount of 2-12% to sucrose, d.s.b.;
(3) A food product with improved aftertaste of sucrose without lowering the sweetening power of sucrose, where trehalose is incorporated into sucrose in an amount of 2-12% of the sucrose, d.s.b., without substantially lowering the sweetening power of sucrose; and
(4) An agent for improving the aftertaste of sucrose, which comprises trehalose as an effective ingredient.
Any types and forms of sucrose can be used in the present invention independently of their origins as long as the present invention improves their taste quality, particularly, their aftertaste. For example, white sugars, granulated sugars, white superior soft sugars, powdered sugars, frosted sugars, and liquid sugars can be used. Saccharides comprising sucrose and other saccharides can be also used. In general, those rich in sucrose can exert more easily the effect of the present invention, and the following saccharide compositions can be advantageously used in the present invention; black sugars containing sucrose and small amounts of invert sugars and minerals, xcex1-galactosyl sucrose such as raffinose and stachyose, saccharides containing sucrose, xcex1-glycosyl sucrose such as erlose and maltosylsucrose, saccharides containing maltooligosaccharides and sucrose, i.e., xe2x80x9cCOUPLING SUGAR (copyright), xcex2-galactosylsucrose, i.e., lactosucrose, and saccharides containing lactose and sucrose, i.e., NYUKAOLIGO (copyright)xe2x80x9d.
Any types and forms of trehalose can be used in the present invention independently of their origins as long as they can improve the flavor and taste of sucrose, particularly, the aftertaste of sucrose. For example, trehalose derived from starches as disclosed in Japanese Patent Kokai Nos. 319,486/94 and 213,283/95, and trehalose from maltose as disclosed in Japanese Patent Kokai Nos. 216,695/83 and 170,977/95 can be advantageously used. The sweetening power of trehalose is known to be about 45% of the sweetening power of sucrose and is not changed independently of the form of a crystalline hydrate, crystalline anhydride, powder, and liquid. The form of trehalose can be appropriately chosen as the occasion demands. Trehalose can be advantageously used as an effective ingredient for agents for improving the aftertaste of sucrose.
To attain the present object, trehalose should be incorporated into sucrose in an amount of 2-12% to the sucrose, d.s.b. If the content is below 2%, d.s.b., it improves insufficiently the aftertaste of sucrose, while if the content is over 12%, d.s.b., it unsatisfactorily reduces the sweetening power of sucrose. As long as it does not inhibit the present object, other saccharides excluding sucrose and trehalose can be coexisted: For example, monosaccharides such as glucose, fructose, and galactose; disaccharides such as maltose, isomaltose, lactose, and palatinose; trisaccharides such as maltotriose, erlose, raffinose, lactosucrose, and ketose; tetrasaccharides such as maltotetraose and stachyose; and sugar alcohols such as xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol, lactitol, and maltotriitol, all of which are appropriately chosen, particularly, saccharide compositions containing oligosaccharides having a sucrose structure can be advantageously used. The present saccharide compositions thus obtained contain trehalose in an amount of 2-12% to sucrose, d.s.b. The higher the content of sucrose, the more easily exerted the present effect; Preferably, those containing at least 10%, and more preferably, at least 40% sucrose, d.s.b., can be suitably used independently of their forms of solid, paste, and liquid.
The present saccharide compositions thus obtained have a satisfactorily improved aftertaste of sucrose free from the reduction of sweetening power, and they can be arbitrarily and widely used to sweeten food products. Specifically, the saccharide compositions exert their effect in food products which contain relatively-large amounts of the compositions, and preferably they can be advantageously used in food products containing at least 30% of the compositions, d.s.b.: For example, seasonings such as sweeteners, table sugars, coffee sugars, xe2x80x9cmentsuyuxe2x80x9d (a sauce for Japanese vermicelli), sauces, catsups, xe2x80x9cyakiniku-no-tarexe2x80x9d (a sauce for Japanese grilled meat), instant soup mixes, and complex seasonings.; Japanese confectioneries and material saccharides thereof such as an (a bean jam), xe2x80x9cuiroxe2x80x9d (a sweet rice jelly), xe2x80x9cyokanxe2x80x9d (a sweet jelly of beans), jellies, xe2x80x9ckingyokuxe2x80x9d (a kind of jelly), pao de Castellas, and xe2x80x9camedamaxe2x80x9d (a Japanese toffee); Western confectioneries and material saccharides thereof such as buns, cookies, pies, puddings, chewing gums, chocolates, sand creams, custard creams, butter creams, cream puffs, wafers, sponge cakes, flour pastes, peanut pastes, candies, spreads, xe2x80x9ctokaxe2x80x9d (conserves), syrups, bonbons, and sweetened condensed milks; soft drinks and material saccharides thereof such as coffees, cocoas, teas, juices, sour milk beverages, and beverages containing lactic acid bacteria; ice candies and material saccharides thereof such as ice creams, sherbets, xe2x80x9ckaki-gorixe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9ckori-mitsuxe2x80x9d; instant food products and material saccharides thereof such as instant juices, instant coffees, instant cocoas, instant teas, instant xe2x80x9cshirukoxe2x80x9d, and instant puddings; and other food products such as foods for infants, therapeutic foods, beverages with supplemental nutritions, dried foods, and xe2x80x9cchinmixe2x80x9d which are sweetened with the present saccharide compositions.
When using powdered sucrose as sucrose in the process for producing the present saccharide compositions, the addition of powdery trehalose to the powdered sucrose in an amount of 2-12% to the powdered sucrose, d.s.b., improves the aftertaste of sucrose without substantially lowering the sweetening power of sucrose and exerts solidification-preventing effect on the powdered sucrose.
The powdery saccharide compositions which are prevented from solidification can be advantageously used in food products in general and used as material saccharides in chewing gums, chocolates, sand creams, icings, sugar coatings, and toppings, all of which prefer powdery saccharides.
Methods for incorporating the present saccharide compositions in the aforesaid food products are those which can incorporate thereunto the saccharide compositions during the processes before completion of their processings; conventional methods such as mixing, kneading, dissolving, melting, soaking, permeating, sprinkling, applying, coating, spraying, injecting, crystallizing, and solidifying can be appropriately chosen. If necessary, other materials including appropriate materials and additives such as different sweeteners, taste-imparting seasonings, flavoring agents, coloring agents, emulsifiers, nutrients, antioxidants, and fillers can be arbitrarily incorporated into food products in adequate amounts.
The following experiments describe the present invention:
Experiment 1
Influence of Saccharides on Both the Sweetening Power and the Improvement of the Aftertaste of Sucrose
The influence of coexisting saccharides on both the sweetening power and the improvement of the aftertaste of sucrose was studied. The saccharides used were commercially available ones in reagent grade. A 10% aqueous sucrose solution was used as a control solution, and a 10% aqueous solution containing 10% each of the saccharides, d.s.b., was used as a test solution. The saccharides were glucose, sorbitol, maltose, maltitol, lactose, trehalose or xcex1,xcex1-trehalose, and neotrehalose or xcex1, xcex2-trehalose. A panel test was conducted using the paired difference test which compared the sweetening power and aftertaste of sucrose in the control and test solutions. The panel test was conducted at a room temperature of 25xc2x0 C. using 13 volunteers consisting of eight males and five females. The sweetening power was evaluated by allowing the volunteers to compare the test solution with the control solution and to select their answers among the grades xe2x80x9cinferiorxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cequalxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9csuperiorxe2x80x9d, while the improvement of the aftertaste of sucrose was evaluated by allowing the volunteers to compare the test solution with the control solution and to select their answers among the grades xe2x80x9cinferiorxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cequalxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9csuperiorxe2x80x9d, followed by counting the number of volunteers who selected the grades each. The results are in Table 1:
As evident from the results in Table 1, it was revealed that unlike the sucrose solutions in which other saccharides were present, the solutions, in which trehalose or xcex1,xcex1-trehalose coexisted with sucrose, had satisfactorily-improved aftertaste of sucrose or a sharpened aftertaste of sucrose. The coexistence of saccharides other than trehalose lowered the sweetening power of sucrose but could not improve the aftertaste of sucrose with respect to the sharpness. The data shows that trehalose improves the sharpness of aftertaste of sucrose without substantially lowering the sweetness of sucrose, and the effect is characteristic of trehalose.
Experiment 2
Influence of the Concentration of Trehalose On Both the Sweetening Power and the Improvement of the Aftertaste of Sucrose
The influence of the concentration of trehalose on both the sweetening power and the improvement of the aftertaste of sucrose was studied with an aqueous solution, coffee, and tea. Similarly as the method in Experiment 1, commercially available sucrose and trehalose in reagent grade were used.
In the case of an aqueous solution, a 10 w/v % aqueous solution containing a saccharide composition, containing sucrose and 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, 8.0, 12.0, 16.0 or 20.0% trehalose to the sucrose, d.s.b., was used as a test solution. As a control solution, a 10 w/v % sucrose solution with only the saccharide was used. These test and control solutions with ambient temperature were used in a panel test.
In the case of a coffee as a test solution, commercially available regular coffee powder was extracted in a conventional manner, and in the extract was dissolved 10 w/v % either of the saccharide compositions having the same proportions of sucrose and trehalose as used in the aqueous solution. As a control solution, a 10 w/v % sucrose solution with only the saccharide was used. These test and control solutions in hot conditions were used in a panel test.
In the case of a tea as a test solution, commercially available tea bag was extracted in usual manner, in which was dissolved 5 w/v % either of the saccharide compositions having the same proportions of sucrose and trehalose as used in the aqueous solution. As a control solution, a 5 w/v % sucrose solution with only the saccharide was used. These test and control solutions in hot conditions were used in a panel test.
Similarly as in Experiment 1, a panel test was conducted using the paired difference test for evaluating the sweetening power and the improvement of the aftertaste of sucrose.
The results are in Table 2:
As can be seen from the results in Table 2, it was revealed that the coexistence of trehalose in an amount from 2.0% to 12.0% to sucrose, d.s.b., independently of aqueous solution, coffee, and tea, improves the aftertaste of sucrose, i.e., the sharpness of the aftertaste of sucrose without substantially lowering the sweetening power of sucrose.
Experiment 3
Solidification-preventing Activity of Trehalose on Powdered Saccharides
The solidification-preventing activity of powdery trehalose on a powdery saccharide or a powdered sucrose was studied. One hundred parts by weight of the powdered saccharide or the powdered saccharide, which 90% or higher passes through a JIS 250xcexc sieve, prepared by pulverizing granulated sugar, and 10 parts by weight of powdery trehalose prepared by heating xe2x80x9cTREHAOSE(copyright)xe2x80x9d, a food grade crystalline trehalose hydrate commercialized by Hayashibara Shoji, Inc., Okayama, Japan, to convert it into an anhydrous crystalline form, and pulverizing the anhydride similarly as in the above granulated sugar, were mixed to homogeneity to obtain a saccharide composition containing trehalose in an amount of about 10% to sucrose, d.s.b. Twenty-kilogram aliquots of the saccharide composition were in a conventional manner injected into polyethylene bags which were then closed with rubber bands and placed onto three-layered Kraft paper, followed by sewing the edges of the paper by a machine to enclose the bags for test samples. Five bags of the test samples were placed on a pallet in one layer and loaded with a pallet loaded with 50 bags, one ton total, containing 20 kg food grade trehalose each, followed by storing for one month at ambient temperature. As a control, only the powdered sugar or the powdered sucrose was injected into bags similarly as above and stored. After one-month standing, these bags were opened for examining the conditions of the contents, revealing that the powdered saccharide as the control solidified rigidly but the present saccharide composition remained a free-flowing powder, which scarcely solidified but easily collapsed only by hand shaking. Thus, it was revealed that the saccharide compositions according to the invention have an improved aftertaste of sucrose without lowering the sweetening power of sucrose and exert a solidification-preventing effect.